Trini Outlaw

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

AG: No plans to phase them out

AG’s officeNafeesa Mohammed: It’s not an official positionWe have been working with them: Communications specialistBY CAROL MATROO

Justices of the Peace do not have to fear that they will be replaced by legal aid attorneys.aThis was the assurance coming out of the office of the Attorney General yesterday.

Communications specialist at the AG’s office Kristy Quintal said the allegation that the Government might be phasing out JPs was the furthest from the truth.“Absolutely not. On the contrary. In fact, about two weeks ago there was a meeting with the Attorney General and other officials from the office and JPs.

“We have been working with them and we are planning a consultation with the JPs in early July. There is no plan to phase them out. The AG’s office is moving toward working with the JPs,” Quintal said in a telephone interview.

The JPs concerns arose when attorney Israel Khan, SC, warned that JPs faced the possibility of being phased out and have their responsibilities, including witnessing and signing confessions and statements, handed over to legal aid attorneys.Khan was speaking at the second quarterly meeting of the JPs at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation on Sunday.

He said if the authorities could not eradicate perceived corruption among the members, then drastic action might be taken to erase the office of the JP.

JPs recently took the decision to stop authenticating statements after JP Asquith Clark was murdered a few weeks ago, shortly before he was due to give evidence in court.

Senior counsellor attached to the AG’s office, Nafeesa Mohammed, said the phasing out of the JPs was “not an official position.”

Buh wey the fock is this!It look like Israel Khan is the new fockin spokesman for the PNM. How d fock he arrive at the conclusion that they goin to phase out the JP's.Now the AG office saying something different.Watch it eh! Next thing yuh see JP's gone.